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cretinism
noun
cre·tin·ism
ˈkrē-tᵊn-ˌi-zəm
: a usually congenital condition marked by physical stunting and intellectual disability and caused by severe hypothyroidism
Examples of cretinism in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Even Switzerland, like Bolivia, Nepal and other mountainous countries, once had high rates of goiters and cretinism caused by iodine deficiency, as did low-lying flood-prone areas far from the ocean in Eastern Europe and Southeast Asia.
—Donald G. McNeil Jr., New York Times, 21 July 2017
In 1997, according to Unicef, almost a fifth of its population had goiters — swollen thyroid glands in the neck that indicate serious deficiency, which can also cause dwarfism and cretinism.
—Donald G. McNeil Jr., New York Times, 15 May 2017
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Word History
First Known Use
1791, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near cretinism
Cite this Entry
“Cretinism.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cretinism. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.
Kids Definition
cretinism
noun
cre·tin·ism
ˈkrēt-ᵊn-ˌiz-əm
: an abnormal condition that is usually present from birth, is marked by physical stunting and intellectual disability, and is caused by a lack of the secretion of the thyroid gland
Medical Definition
cretinism
noun
cre·tin·ism
-ᵊn-ˌiz-əm
: a usually congenital condition marked by physical stunting and intellectual disability and caused by severe thyroid deficiency
called also infantile myxedema
More from Merriam-Webster on cretinism
Britannica English: Translation of cretinism for Arabic Speakers
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